Trending Colors for 2019
COLORS AND THEIR INFLUENCE
Colors mental and emotional effects on people are known from the ancient times. For ancient Egyptians colors had special meanings, symbolism and significance. Artists were tutored by their master and this continued from one generation to the next. Nowadays more and more people take an interest in color psychology. Although a person’s interpretation of color is influenced by his or her own life experiences, culture, age, and gender, colors are often associated with specific meanings what is apparent, for example, from the language we use.
If someone tells a white lie, it means to tell a small lie that doesn’t hurt another person. White carries the meaning of innocence, purity, and safety.
If you see a red flag in the relationship, you know it’s a warning sign, that something is not right. Besides the meaning of love and passion, red also carries the meaning of danger, aggression and anger.
If you have a golden opportunity, you have a really good chance to achieve something. Gold is associated with success and achievements.
You can find lot of material online about colors meanings and symbolism.
COLORS AS MARKETING TOOLS
Although more scientific research on color psychology is needed, many researchers agree that colors play an important role in conveying information and creating certain moods. Color preferences play a big part on decisions people make in their everyday life: what product to purchase, what clothes to wear, how to decorate their home. According to one research 84.7% consumers cite color as the primary reason they buy a particular product. That’s the reason why color psychology is also widely used in marketing and branding. Many marketers see color as an important part of marketing because it can be used to influence consumers’ emotions and perceptions of goods and services.
It’s understandable why trend forecasting a color for a single year has become big business. Nearly every paint company now names its color of the year.
“What’s behind these efforts to set an annual color trend?“ asks the color expert and author Jude Stewart. She continues: “The short answer: Naming a COTY [Color of the Year] is good for business. At a time when shopping has moved online and marketing has shifted away from traditional newspaper and television ads toward social-media friendly campaigns, home improvement brands (and the odd cheerleader uniform maker) have had to rethink their promotional strategies. Announcing a color of the year is a simple, inexpensive way to get attention and push some product.”
Although naming the color of the year is a great marketing tool, it is meant to contribute to the benefit of the client as well. “Selecting new flooring is overwhelming for many consumers,” explains Debbie Houston, creative director at Shaw Floors. “We want to help people feel more confident in their selection any way we can.” Vice president of color and creative services at Behr Erika Woelfel explains another benefit: “Most DIYers . . . gravitate toward the same neutral colors year after year”. The company’s color of the year announcement with associated palettes helps DIYers “consider colors they may not have found on their own or felt confident enough to pick for their next paint project.” (Jude Stewart, The Big Money Behind Naming A “Color Of The Year”)
Creative Director at SmartBug Media Danielle Riley gave a reasonable advice about Pantone Color of the Year 2018 Ultra Violet, and is applicable to every announced trend color. “Forecasting Ultra Violet’s popularity doesn’t mean making all your company’s ads purple. Capitalizing on design trends depends on your brand, your product or service, and your audience. And, as with all things, context is key,” she explains in the article When Color Trends Matter — And When to Ignore Them. “If your primary persona is older adult females, utilizing Ultra Violet in your brand palette is a good approach. But if you want to create content geared toward young men, explore a different palette. Again, context means everything when applying color to your brand and marketing efforts. Your industry, company goals, brand profile, and personas should all be taken into consideration when exploring colors. And remember that trends aren’t permanent.“
With this balanced view let’s consider some of the trending colors for 2019.
TRENDING COLORS FOR 2019
What colors have predicted to be popular on 2019?
What are the colors what companies have announced as trend colors, Colors of the Year 2019?
Let’s find out.
1) Living Coral (#FF6F61, rgb(255,111,97)) by Pantone
Tiny bit lighter and colder than Bittersweet — saturated very light warm red.
Description of the color: Pantone Color of the Year 2019 Living Coral is an animating and life-affirming coral hue with a golden undertone that energizes and enlivens with a softer edge. Vibrant, yet mellow Living Coral embraces us with warmth and nourishment to provide comfort and buoyancy in our continually shifting environment. The hue bridges our tech-obsessed world with the natural one.
2) Garden Patch (#7A8D6A, rgb(122, 141, 106)) by Dutch BoyPaintsLittle bit brighter and lighter than Camouflage Green — unsaturated light cold chartreuse.
Description of the color: Not too deep and not too primary, this nostalgic, botanical hue stands out for its warm and calming effect. Paired with soft neutral and pops of warm colors, Garden Patch offers rejuvenation and peace at the end of the day in every room of the home.
3) Earthen Trail (#E5A38A, rgb(229,163,138)) by Pratt & Lambert
Little darker and tiny bit less saturated than Tonys Pink — unsaturated very light warm red.
Description of the color: Earthen Trail taps into our constant quest for self-improvement as a means to a more satisfying life. It’s calming, elegant soft terracotta, yet when combined with delicate neutrals, it has a second personality, reminiscent of sherbet. Then it becomes fun and vibrant and can be combined with bold colors, patterns and shapes.
4) Cavern Clay (#AC6B53, rgb(172, 107, 83)) by Sherwin-Williams
Tiny bit darker and tiny bit less saturated than Santa Fe — saturated light warm orange.
Description of the color: A warm terracotta color with ancient, elemental roots Cavern Clay is a nod to midcentury modern style, but with the soul of the American Southwest, which together creates a desert modern aesthetic. This warm, earthy hue is both casual and refined.
5) Blueprint (#5F818F, rgb(95,129,143)) by Behr
Little warmer and tiny bit darker than Lynch — unsaturated light cold azure.
Description of the color: A refined blue with just the right amount of depth and brightness. This mid-tone blue signifies authenticity, confidence, and timelessness. An honest, approachable color that conjures up the blueprints builders rely on to bring architectural designs to life, Blueprint creates a space where you can build your own reimagined life — where awareness of what we want to build for ourselves can transform into action.
6) Metropolitan (#BBBEB9, rgb(187, 190, 185)) by Benjamin Moore
Tiny bit lighter and less saturated than Green Spring — very unsaturated very light cold chartreuse.
Description of the color: Metropolitan emanates nuance, harmony and extravagant ease. Always adaptable, it softens to matte or shimmers with sheen. It’s neutral. It’s understated. It just is. This is color, off-duty.
CONCLUSION
As you can see with one exception, most of the colors of the year 2019 are unsaturated, light colors. Like Clariant, a world leader in specialty chemicals, predicted: „Colors become muted as consumers come to grips with a complex world and never-ending distractions. As people feel that things are spinning out of control, focusing on single task is critical. The color palette is simple: serene, soft, muted, and minimal colors.”
Maybe the reason is that most paint companies who have announced predicted color trends and named their color of the year are focused in interior design, on colors that people like to see around them, decorating their living or work spaces. And obviously it’s totally different from the colors people prefer to use to draw attention, with clothes they wear, or accessories they use, or even cars they drive, and companies with their ads or marketing items, product or fashion designs, which are areas what Pantone is aiming their color predictions.
So, in the next years we probably see more and more companies from different industries forecasting their color trends. And the view will be probably more colorful.
I’d like to conclude with the words of Pantone Color Institute executive director Leatrice Eiseman. She says that Pantone color of the year should never be considered an edict. It’s just a color “that addresses the zeitgeist . . . a suggestion of where to go. It gives creatives a challenge: How would you use this color, combine it, what’s your take on it?” In short, it’s a conversation starter.
So, have you think about what would be the Color of the Year 2020 of your company?
Photo credits: Andreevat1979, Andrei Stancu, Joanne Zhe, Rawpixelimages, Manit Larpluechai, Junichi Shimazaki, Vladans, Vladimir Nikulin, Yurolaitsalbert.
